Advertisement

April featured events

Emilia Romagna - The route of the ultramarathon 50 Km di Romagna in Castel Bolognese, near Ravenna, runs on paved roads immersed in the green hills of the valley of the river Senio, uphill in the first half and downhill on the way back, passing by the XIV century Sforza castle and along the vineyards producing the renown Albana, Trebbiano and the Sangiovese grapes. www.50kmdiromagna.com

Lazio - The streets and squares of the Eternal City have witnessed some of the running legends of all time. Dorando Pietri in 1906 triumphed at the finish line of marathon in Villa Borghese, Abebe Bikila in 1960 won barefoot the Olympic marathon under the Arch of Constantine, and the Kenyan-Japanese Douglas Wakiihuri in 1987 won the Marathon World Championships. Now it is your turn to run on the very same streets with the Maratona di Roma, also featuring a shorter 5k course. www.maratonadiroma.it

Lazio - You are probably familiar with the expression "All roads lead to Rome". Well, the Roma Appia Run features a 4k and a 13k course on the Appia Antica, one of the earliest and strategically most important Roman roads of the ancient Republic. It connected Rome to Brindisi, in southeast Italy, and was used as a main route to transport troops and military supplies outside Roma since its construction in 312 bC. In the 1960 Summer Olympics, the Appia Antica served as part of the men's marathon course that was won by the Ethiopian Abebe Bikila. www.appiarun.it

Lombardia - The Ultra Milano-Sanremo is Europe's longest point-to-point foot race. Over three days, it retraces the route of the famous bicycle race called "The Spring Classic". It goes through three Italian regions starting from the city of Milan, running between rice fields, countless historical centers, up and down the Turchino Pass before reaching the Mediterranean Sea. The course then stretches along the entire coast of the Italian Riviera, arriving in the city of flowers, the beautiful Sanremo. It is over 290 kilometers of Pure Sport History that fascinated its crowds for over a century. www.ultramilanosanremo.it

Lombardia - Milan is the main industrial, commercial, and financial centre of Italy, but it is also a major design and world fashion capital. So, dust off your most elegant running clothes, shine up your shoes and sign up for the Milano City Marathon, one of the most prestigious marathons in Italy, with 20,000 participants racing on a touristic course that goes by the iconic cathedral and several city monuments. www.milanocitymarathon.it

Puglia - The ultramarathon 100 chilometri nel Gargano will feature a course through some of the best places in the Puglia region - from Vico del Gargano to Cagnano Varano, trough Foresta Umbra, Vieste, Peschici, and Rodi Garganico. It is a 100k (62 miles) event, but you can also run a 12k, a half and a full marathon. www.100kmnelgargano.it

Sardegna - The Chia Laguna Half Marathon is a spectacular sea view international half marathon that takes place in Chia, near Cagliari, in the south of Sardinia. The stunning 13.1 miles course on closed roads takes in the island's world-famous coast surrounded by the green of the Mediterranean vegetation, turquoise sea, white sand dunes and a lagoon hosting pink flamingos. The event includes a competitive 10 kilometers race as well as 5 kilometers fun run. It is a unique opportunity to run in an amazing place and enjoy a vacation in the outstanding Chia Laguna Resort at special half marathon rates. www.chialagunahalfmarathon.com

Sicilia - Marsala is more than just a veal sauce. The Maratonina del vino (Wine Half Marathon) in Marsala, a city near Trapani, will offer foreign runners the opportunity to visit the place where it all began: thanks to the English trader John Woodhouse who discovered it would last on long ocean voyages, the renown Marsala wine - fortified like Port, Madeira and Sherry - became famous first in England and then worldwide. Golden, amber, ruby - these are some of the different dry or sweet varieties of Marsala wine you can enjoy drinking after the run. www.asdmarsaladoc.jimdo.com

Toscana - The Ultratrail del Mugello begins with a climb in the beautiful forests surrounding the ancient Badia di Moscheta, near Firenzuola, in the province of Firenze. It then continues climbing the ridgeline of the Apennine watershed, passing sections that alternate between breathtaking panoramic views and old growth forests, and reaching Mount Pratone, one of the most stunning sections of the race. The trail follows the Gothic Line, where the German forces created a defensive line hoping to slow the advance of the allied army during their retreat from the Second World War. The course is 60 kilometers long. www.ultratrailmugello.it

Trentino Alto Adige - Run twice around the beautiful lake of Caldaro by running the local Mezza maratona Lago di Caldaro half marathon in Kaltern an der Weinstrasse (Caldaro on the Wine Road), a municipality in South Tyrol in northern Italy, southwest of the city of Bolzano. More than 90% of the population here speaks German. The cuisine combines Italian and Tyrolean styles. The nearby Dolomites area is known for its hiking and climbing routes. www.kalterersee-halbmarathon.com

Trentino Alto Adige - The day after "Pasqua" (Easter), called "Pasquetta" in Italian, the Valsugana running club of Ospedaletto, near Trento, organizes the Trofeo di Pasquetta. It is a 5.5k and a 3.5k event starting at 1 in the afternoon from the city hall. www.gsvalsugana.it

Umbria - The local running club organizes in Deruta, the run Per le vie della ceramica ("On the roads of the ceramic"). It is a 12k course with a shorter one (3.5k). Deruta is a hill town in the province of Perugia, in the Umbria region of central Italy. Long known as a center of refined maiolica manufacture, Deruta remains known for its ceramics, which are exported worldwide. www.podisticaavisderuta.it

Veneto - Venice needs no presentation. The Su e zo per i ponti is a 6k or 12k event. Venezia will be pacifically invaded by thousands of participants. The course will start from piazza San Marco and will bring the participants up and down the bridges of Venice (40 bridges the long course, 13 bridges the short one). While it will be definitely hard on your knees, it is an absolutely memorable running event. www.suezo.it

Veneto - Every April 25 Italy celebrates Liberation Day. In this day, in the town of Cornuda, near Treviso, the Duerocche run is held. It features course of 6k, 12k, and 21k, plus a 48k ultramarathon and a 14k historic walk. www.duerocche.com